Muslims in world's tallest tower face longer fast

By the Associated Press | August 7, 2011 | 7:00 AM EDT

FILE - In this Jan. 4, 2010 file photo, Emirati officials prepare for the opening of Burj Khalifa, the world's 828 meter tallest building during the official opening ceremony in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Muslims living in the world's tallest tower will have to wait even longer to break their fast during the holy month of Ramadan, according to Dubai's top Muslim cleric Mohammed al-Qubaisi, who said Sunday, Aug. 7, 2011 that Burj Khalifa residents living above the 80th floor should wait two additional minutes to break their dawn-to-dusk fast while those above the 150th floor must wait three extra minutes, because they will be able to see the sun longer than those on the ground. (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili, File)

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Muslims living in the world's tallest tower will have to wait even longer to break their fast during the holy month of Ramadan.

Mohammed al-Qubaisi, Dubai's top Muslim cleric, said Sunday that Burj Khalifa residents living above the 80th floor should wait two additional minutes to break their dawn-to-dusk fast while those above the 150th floor must wait three extra minutes because they will be able to see the sun longer than those on the ground.

The half-mile high tower has 160 habitable floors.

Al-Qubaisi said the decree is similar to those relating to Muslims traveling on airplanes, and harkens back to a time when people living in the mountains broke their fast after those at lower elevations.